The island of Koh Phi Phi in Thailand doesn’t have an airport and must be reached by boat. There are speedboats, ferries, and long tail boats that make this trip, but first, you’ll have to reach one of two main places to get there. These are Phuket and Krabi. Koh Phi Phi is a small island, and it’s also likely to be busy, so your first consideration should be how long you want to spend here, as a day trip from Krabi to Koh Phi Phi is also a popular option. This guide covers you whether you’re going from Krabi to Phi Phi Island or Phi Phi Island to Krabi as you’ll need to know the best way to travel between these two destinations. There are several options for transport between Krabi and Phi Phi Island, but they’re all boats! Here’s our guide on how to get to Phi Phi Island from Krabi.
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TRANSFER + FERRY COMBO
Easiest Way to Go from Krabi to Phi Phi
The easiest way to get to Phi Phi from Krabi is to take the combined shuttle and boat – all connections are guaranteed. And it’s really easy.
Where is Phi Phi Island
Phi Phi Island is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Krabi, which makes for a relatively quick trip. If you’re coming here, to Koh Phi Phi from Bangkok, then you’ll need our guide on going from Bangkok to Phi Phi.
The six islands of the Phi Phi Group are found between Phuket Island and the Straits of Malacca, they’re actually equidistant and are in the Andaman Sea. It takes about 90 minutes to go from Krabi to Phi Phi Don, the main (and only inhabited) island of the group, although you can get there in as little as 30 minutes if you opt for a speedboat. Bear in mind if you’re traveling in the off-season aka the wet season aka the “green” season, then it can take longer, as the sea state is much rougher and the boats will go slower.
How to Go from Krabi to Phi Phi Island – Transport Options
This is a simple guide. As it’s easy to get to Phi Phi Island from Krabi. You need to take a boat. And your choice is what type of boat!
How to get to Phi Phi Island from Krabi
The most difficult decision you have to make on taking this journey is what type of boat you want to travel on, and of course what time you want to go. I’ll start with those looking for the shortest visit – a day trip and these are easy to arrange, either with your accommodation (although you might have to pay cash if you do that), or you can prebook.
Day Trips from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
A day trip to Phi Phi Island from Krabi will have you swimming and snorkeling in the Andaman Sea, checking out the highlights of the Phi Phi island, and taking the fastest mode of transport to get there and back – a speedboat.
This day trip includes pick up from your Krabi hotel or hostel, you’ll get to visit Maya Bay – the famous bay where the “Beach” was filmed. You can also snorkel and explore the famous Viking cave, where swallows nest. There’s Phi Phi Lee – and other parts of the islands only accessible by boat and the glorious Monkey Beach (and yes you get to see monkeys too). A Thai buffet lunch is provided, as well as time to explore Phi Phi Don island. This top-rated day trip also includes afternoon snorkeling at Bamboo Island. Phi Phi island trips are particularly popular, so you should book your place as soon as you know your dates.
Combined Tickets Buses + Ferries from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
The first part of your journey from Krabi to Phi Phi will be to get from wherever you are staying in Krabi to the pier where the ferries leave from. The pier for Phi Phi Island in Krabi is the Klong Jilad Pier. You can book a transfer from your hotel to the ferry and include your ferry ticket here.
Taxi from Krabi Bus Terminal to Klong Jilad Pier
It’s easy to take a taxi to the Klong Jilad Pier from Krabi, either ask your hotel or hostel to arrange one, or use Grab to arrange it. If you haven’t booked a ferry then the first one leaves at about 09:00. This first ferry is likely to be popular with those people coming down from Bangkok on a through ticket.
Ferries from Klong Jilad Pier to Phi Phi Island
You’ll find at least 5 ferries a day going from Klong Jilad Pier to Koh Phi Phi, with the last one leaving at around 15:00. You can also take speedboats and long tail boats. The average time that these boats take is 2 hours, although speedboats can get there in 45 minutes.
Koh Phi Phi is a popular island, and it is recommended to book both your accommodation and the ferry before you arrive in Krabi. You can check and book ferries and fast boats from Krabi to Phi Phi Island here.
Koh Phi Phi Arrival
There are no cars on Phi Phi Island, but there are sidewalks and also signs. It’s also a small island (9.73 kilometers square – 3.76 miles square) and it’s pretty easy to get around on foot.
Although I mentioned that there are 6 islands in this group, Koh Phi Phi Don is the only one that is inhabited, and this is where the ferries and boats come to. You’ll arrive at Tonsai Pier, which is in the village of Tonsai, which is itself in Tonsai Bay. It’s pretty hard to get lost, but you can map out your walking directions to your hotel.
The quickest way to get from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
Boats to Phi Phi Island from Krabi take as little as 45 minutes, but most ferries take around 2 hours. You’ll need to factor in getting to the boat pier and the check-in time on your ticket. You can book ferry tickets from Krabi to Phi Phi Island here. (Make it easy on yourself and book a combined taxi and ferry ticket)
The easiest way to go to Phi Phi Island from Krabi
The easiest way to get from Krabi to Phi Phi Island is to book a combined taxi and ferry ticket, which is available here.
The cheapest way to go from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
The cheapest way to get to Phi Phi Island from Krabi is to take the slow ferry ticket – reserve your seats here.
The best way to go from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
It might be quicker to take the speedboat (if they’re available), but they are more expensive and can be quite bumpy and somewhat uncomfortable, so if you’re not a good sea traveler, it’s best to take it a little slower. The 2-hour ferries are a reasonably comfortable way to get to Koh Phi Phi from Krabi.
Map of Ferry Piers for Krabi to Phi Phi Island
You can also see the ferry piers from Krabi to Phi Phi here
Popular Routes in Thailand
Want to know more about different forms of transport in Thailand? Our guide to Thailand transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Thailand, your options, and how we did it.
- How to go from Bangkok to Pakse (Laos)
- Going from Langkawi (Malaysia) to Koh Lipe
- How to go from Koh Tao to Krabi
- How to go from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Tao
- Koh Tao to Phuket
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Phangan
- Bangkok to Koh Kood and back
- Go from Bangkok to Koh Chang
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Samui
- How to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya
- How to go from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
- How to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai
- How to go from Krabi to Phuket
- How to go from Krabi to Koh Samui
- Going from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
- How to go from Bangkok to Phi Phi Island
- How to go from Bangkok to Krabi
- How to go from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi
- How to travel from Krabi to Langkawi (Malaysia)
- How to go from Krabi to Railay
- How to go from Cambodia to Thailand
Travel Tips for Exploring Thailand
- Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and more.
- Download and install a VPN BEFORE you travel to Thailand > discount coupon here
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- Book the best Thailand tours and guides on Klook or Get YourGuide
- Save money in Thailand with a Wise debit card
- Book Buses in Thailand with 12goAsia
- Book accommodation in Thailand with Booking
Final Words on How to Go from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
This is a really easy route to take, you’ll want to make sure that you arrive at the boat pier in plenty of time for your boat – and a combined taxi and ferry ticket is a great way to go. Phi Phi island remains a very popular island, despite it being years since the movie The Beach was filmed here based on the best-selling book, so you should book both your accommodation and transport well ahead of time to get your first choice.
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